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Do you think I will be allowed...?
To have a home birth?I am only 9 weeks with our 2nd baby but I am already thinking about the birth. In my area there are only 2 options homebirth or at the big county hospital- where I had my daughter.
Her birth was a little complicated, when my waters broke they were green- she had pooed and it is sometimes a sign that baby is stressed so I was hooked up to the fetal heart monitor throughout my labour which meant I couldn't really be active like I had hoped. Then she got stuck so after nearly 2 hours of pushing they tried to deliver her by forceps which failed, they then tried 3 times with ventouse but failed and eventually a senior doc delivered her by forceps but on the 2nd attempt he told me if he failed that time I would have a c-sec. Once she was delivered the placenta would not expel so I was taken to theatre where it was delivered manually.
The labour ward at the hospital was fab, lovely midwives I was 1 of only 2 ladies in labour on that day so had a midwife to myself the whole time which was great. The postnatal ward however was another story and despite all the trauma I just wanted to leave so I demanded I was discharged on the day I gave birth as I was not comfortable there, everything took an age and nobody seemed "happy" to help it just was a chore. I was readmitted when my daughter was 4 days old as I had lost alot of blood and needed a transfussion- I had no idea I had lost that much blood and if I had maybe I would not have left hospital so readily but nobody pointed this out to me?
Anyway so now I am considering a home birth as I am pretty certain that some of the issues with my first labour could have been down to the fact I was so tense being in hospital- am not a big fan! But I am worried that with my previous complications I will not be allowed? My sister is due in 3 weeks and she is going to a lovely midwife led birthing centre which sounds wonderful but there is nothing like this in my area- seems very unfair!
Has anybody had a complicated 1st labour/birth and gone on/been allowed to have a home birth?
xx
Her birth was a little complicated, when my waters broke they were green- she had pooed and it is sometimes a sign that baby is stressed so I was hooked up to the fetal heart monitor throughout my labour which meant I couldn't really be active like I had hoped. Then she got stuck so after nearly 2 hours of pushing they tried to deliver her by forceps which failed, they then tried 3 times with ventouse but failed and eventually a senior doc delivered her by forceps but on the 2nd attempt he told me if he failed that time I would have a c-sec. Once she was delivered the placenta would not expel so I was taken to theatre where it was delivered manually.
The labour ward at the hospital was fab, lovely midwives I was 1 of only 2 ladies in labour on that day so had a midwife to myself the whole time which was great. The postnatal ward however was another story and despite all the trauma I just wanted to leave so I demanded I was discharged on the day I gave birth as I was not comfortable there, everything took an age and nobody seemed "happy" to help it just was a chore. I was readmitted when my daughter was 4 days old as I had lost alot of blood and needed a transfussion- I had no idea I had lost that much blood and if I had maybe I would not have left hospital so readily but nobody pointed this out to me?
Anyway so now I am considering a home birth as I am pretty certain that some of the issues with my first labour could have been down to the fact I was so tense being in hospital- am not a big fan! But I am worried that with my previous complications I will not be allowed? My sister is due in 3 weeks and she is going to a lovely midwife led birthing centre which sounds wonderful but there is nothing like this in my area- seems very unfair!
Has anybody had a complicated 1st labour/birth and gone on/been allowed to have a home birth?
xx
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Replies
I had homebirth with my 2nd. During the pregnancy I was told baby was breech and that I wouldn't be allowed a homebirth. I was devastated but in the end she wasn't and it was ok. However the mw on call when I went into labour wasn't experienced at homebirth and tried to get me to go to hospital when I told her I had a bit of bleeding. I said I'd rather she came and checked me first! The question is, if you were at home and this baby was stuck, are you near enough the hospital that they could get you there without putting you or the baby in danger? Also I don't know if they can do forceps/ventouse at home? Not saying they can't....
This isn't helpful at all is it LOL
Good luck though - I'm ttc no3 and am hoping for homebirth again but wonder if my age will be against me this time
The answer is yes you can have a homebirth! BUT it will depend on if your midwife "approves" of homebirths to how how much support you get! If your midwife support homebirths she will tell you that they are just as safe as hospital births and if there was ANY sign of a problem you would be trancfered to hospital straight away!! but if she doesn't support them she will be full of horror stories and tell you how much better it would be for you to be in hospital!!
The truth is between. It a very peorsonal choice. If you feel you will be happier and more relaxed at home I would fight for your right to have a homebirth!! You know your body and what you feel you can or can't do and know that if it doesn't work out you can change your mind and go to hospital at any point.
As for forceps/ventouse no they can not use them at home but hopefully if you are more active and relaxed you won't need them!!
On saying that if your waters go and they are green again you would have to go to hospital to deliver
Seraphina I don't know how old you are but i have just had my 4th at home aged 38.
sorry this is so long i hope its helped.
xx
My labour with my Lily sounds incredibly similar to yours! - the meconium, the monitor stopping me from being active, the transfusion afterwards.
Anyway, when discussing my options this time round my midwife asked if I was considering a home birth. I must have looked horrified, and practically shouted "NO!!"in her face (interestingly my experience has sort of had the opposite effect to yours and made me certain that I want to give birth in a hospital, as I know first hand that things can and do go wrong and if that happens I want to be where the doctors are!) She looked approving and said that although I was entitled to opt for one if I wanted to, she would advise against it given my history.
So that sort of leaves it even more open, I guess - on the one hand she said she thought I was making the right choice; on the other by asking me if I'd considered it she made it an option in the first place. I guess it depends on the midwife as to whether you'd be "allowed" this time.
Good luck; I hope you get your wish if you do decide to go for it.